The Good Shepherd

Have you ever felt lost as you travel among a flock of people?

Have you ever felt isolated and alone, as life seems to be spinning around you? 

Do you have a longing for more? Is there something missing?

Have you traveled down dark roads not knowing what may lie ahead?

Are you spiritually lost?

Are you the one? Is it you?

“Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Luke 15:4

Don’t let this come as a shock but we are all that one, out of ninety-nine at some time in life. The good news is we are all equally important to our gentle-hearted loving Shepherd.  

Our Shepherd makes each one of us feel special. He always drops everything in His busy life to listen to our hearts, soothe our souls, and give peace to our very existence. He gives us His unwavering attention… Day or night, With no distractions. He does not say wait I have another call can this wait. Never will He make you feel less important. To Him you are everything. We can rest safely knowing He has a watchful eye. 

He is the protector of my heart, the lover of my soul… He has chased me for many years…Sadly I never knew it was His voice calling my soul… However, I am so grateful that He never gave up! He is relentless in His pursuit of the ones He loves… 

Since that pivotal day in May, I have grown to recognize the melodic sound of His alluring voice. Now even in a flock of souls, I can hear Him singing His love song to my heart.

Shhh, Be still, Listen with soulful ears… 

Be still my heart! 

Its Him. It has always been Him. Can you feel His love? His love can take you places your soul can only dream of… 

I will follow Him on earth as I will in Heaven… Matthew 6:9-13

Signed … the ONE

He found me… even when I did not know I was lost. 

Art & Written by Lori Garner

Sinners Prayer

Bible collaboration - Joann Turnbull

inspiring Music by (youtube)

Alone, we can do so little; together, we can do so much,” is a truism. - Helen Keller...

Meaning of gathering an assembly or meeting, especially a social or festive one or one held for a specific purpose.” a family gathering"

We were able to gather 46 verses in the Bible that speak of the word “gathering”

As I started to peel back this word I began by asking myself... “Gathering” What is it that I am gathering?  In our lives, we all seem to have interest and we begin the art of gathering things?  Stuff that has meaning to oneself... We seem to hold them tight... perhaps it is a collection that you have worked hard to obtain... Bobbles and trinkets galore!!! 

But when we are faced with transitioning from our earthly life to our spiritual life... Those things that were so important somehow lose their luster... Have we been sucked up into a false sense of what is important by our own human desires?  If you were told you have 48 hours to live... What would gather??? 

I can not answer that in generic terms... but I can share my heart. I would gather my family, my friends, and all who are willing to listen...

That although my time on earth may be fleeting... I have been given some exciting news that I know there more... 

He has loved me further than I ever thought possible... He has shown me a world far beyond the stars... 

He is gathering His children the most precious gifts that he has created... He has given us the freedom to experience life... But He has also poured love into each of His believer's souls... That love will guide us home...

It is there we will be given the privilege of worshiping our Heavenly Father, His Beautiful Son, and His Holy Presence (Spirit)... Like never before!!! I have tasted this love and my life will never be the same... 

Gather with me today and analyze what is it we are gathering?  Will it last the test of time when you leave this world??  Will you be able to take it with you? How will you be remenbered ?

He has taught me the most important thing to gather is LOVE... LIFE WITHOUT LOVE IS VOID... 

Gather your loved ones and anyone who will listen to His love song... Be ready for His time is drawing near... 

It's Him!! It will always be Him!   

God Is Love

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 1 John 4:7-8

Photography & Written by Lori Garner

Sinners Prayer 

Inspiring Music by (youtube)

Bible collaboration - Joann Turnbull

Philippa Hanna – Everything is Possible (Official Live Video)

I soar my spirit and unfurl my joy.- Jonathan Lockwood Huie...

Meaning of unfurl: to open up by unrolling. (intransitive, figuratively) To turn out or unfold; to evolve; to progress.

In our search for this word we unfurled the beautiful pages of God's words we found two instances where this word was used. 

I am unclear why this word dropped into my heart today… But as I closed my eyes and began to relate to this word … 

I found myself being directed to a time in my life when I was on autopilot… I believe many of you can relate… We seem to get caught up with our daily activities… and one day just overflows into the next… We become so tightly wrapped that we miss God's beautiful gifts before us… Do we take the free moments to see life? Or has our lives become just a blur… 

I can speak of feeling tightly wrapped because I lived it. I too was caught up in the tidal wave of life… Do we know where to go when we are drowning? Or do we wait to gasp that final breath before we look for Him??? 

I can not take any credit for finding Him. Because He is the one who found me… even when I did not even know I was lost!! 

He came soft as a whisper in the wind…  and spoke a love song to my thirsty soul. At first, I was so confused? I was not sure what this love from heaven wanted from me?  What was the cost??? As each day passed I became more drawn into this presence that would greet me every morning … I began to trust Him more each day… I relaxed and His love began the slow deliberate dance as He began to unfurl my once-bound heart!!! There was a transformation in my soul that I could not contain… I began to see life in new vivid colors... I began to seek His face in every instance … I began to discover His eloquent words... Words that have been passed down from generation to generation… it’s His love story being unfurled right before our eyes… He loves us like no other !!! 

Unfurl my heart Lord … take it it belongs to you, as you well know my life will never be the same… 

It’s Him, it is always him !!!

But for those who fear you, you have raised a banner to be unfurled against the bow.Psalms 60:3-4 

 Photography & Written by Lori Garner

Sinners Prayer 

Bible collaboration - Joann Turnbull

Inspiring Music by (youtube)

John Mark Pantana - Made For Jesus (feat. Olivia Dyer)

Meaning of presence, a person or thing that exists or is present in a place but is not seen. 

48 verses refer to the word presence... 

Are we present?? Or are our hearts and our thoughts elsewhere? 

Many of God’s children speak of feeling, seeing, or being touched by God’s presence?

What is this heavenly gift that can give us goosebumps? Make the hairs on the nape of our neck stand at attention? Or make tears flow from a soulful place in our hearts? 

Why does His presence speak to our soul on such a heartfelt spiritual level?  How do we put this monumental gift into words?? It truly is difficult because His grace, His power, and love can leave us in awe!! These moments can render us speechless or find us babbling like small children... But as we reach for words of adoration, we feel a strength and a love that will make us fall to our knees...  Our hearts will open and sing a love song with a passion we never knew existed!!! 

You will find yourself worshiping the most majestic presence one could ever experience. You will throw caution to the wind as you surrender your soul!!  You will not care or even be aware of what the people around you are saying or doing... Because your spirit will be at one with the most Divine presence one could ever be blessed to know and you will fall in love with Him... It's a love that is not of this world... There are not enough words to explain His beauty, His Love, His Holiness! 

Many may not understand, many will be skeptical, and many will stand holding your hand in unity... Because they have been swept away in this beautiful state of being in God's presence...

Your soul will crave these moments with Him more and more. You will yearn to discover everything about Him, His promise of Love, His Kingdom. And what your role may be in this soulful journey with our Creator?  

How this happens is different for every heart.

I can only share, that for me music draws me to Him. My heart opens and my mind, body, and soul become singularly focused. I become fully present ... I have become successful in clearing my busy schedule of all things of this world. And I concentrate solely on Him... I begin by inviting Him into my life. Into my heart and into the moments that I have reserved for Him alone... And I wait ... He never fails. He sweeps me away to that special place where love abounds with such a magnitude of splendor... 

OMG ... My Heavenly Father is whispering my name... I must go.. for He awaits. 

It's Him, It has always been Him!! 

I am so awe-struck... I can only whisper in a faint but audible voice... 

I am here LOVE... I am here!!  

God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. 1 John 14:16 

Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? Psalms 137:7

Photography & Written by Lori Garner

Sinners Prayer 

Inspiring Music by (youtube)

Bible collaboration - Joann Turnbull

Beckah Shae - Your Presence (Official Video)

“Love looks through a telescope; envy, through a microscope.”- Josh Billings

Meaning of jealous feeling or showing envy of someone or their achievements and advantages.

We located 143 verses that point us to the word jealous...

Jealousy is an emotion that stems from both desire and insecurity, but not love.  I would probably be safe in saying that most of us have felt jealous at some time in our life. I have witnessed jealousy so strong that it has choked out and destroyed relationships. 

So when God says He is a jealous God?  How is this possible ??  He is love! And jealousy is not based on love. 

He made us in His image so yes this emotion is also part of our heritage from God.

I believe when we speak of a jealous God, the Creator of all things. It is possible because of all of the emotions we feel God feels them as well. 

As our creator, we will always belong to Him. He knows the beginning and the end... He loves His children with such vigor, passion,  such tenderness. His deepest desire is to have our hearts completely.  

He does not want to share us with anything, especially false Gods... Because He knows the results of our wayward choices. He knows these indiscretions have the ability to harm and destroy our life, our salvation, and our hope of eternity with Him. 

His love is unconditional, I do not believe His jealousy is coming from insecurity it is coming from a heartfelt concern for the wellbeing of His children. Yes, He gave us free will but like any good parent, He will go to great lengths to protect us all. 

I do believe man's jealousy is tainted by our world.. and our human insecurities. Jealousy becomes all about self. 

The question becomes can we learn how to understand and control this emotion? 

 I do believe as we learn to love more like Jesus we began to love with a free spirit and think less of ourselves and more of others... Leading us to become secure with ourselves and content with our surroundings. We began to think more spiritually and less of worldly possessions.  

As this transition happens would it be possible that our jealousy would come from a secure place not be tainted by our human insecurities?  It's then that maybe we learn to love with vigor, passion, and a tender caring heart. 

He is the reason we exist.  His love is not even measurable. The more we share Him the more love He will freely give to each of us. There is no reason for jealousy because His love is limitless... And it is available for every soul. It’s Him !! 

It will always be Him. 

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud 1 Corinthians 13:4 

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:9

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves Philippians 2:3

Photography & Written by Lori Garner

Sinners Prayer

Bible collaboration - Joann Turnbull

inspiring Music by (youtube)

HOW HE LOVES // worship cover

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33, NIV...

He existed in the form of God, yet he gave no thought to seizing equality with God as his supreme prize. Instead, he emptied himself of his outward glory by reducing himself to the form of a lowly servant. He became human! Philippians 2:6-11 

Do we truly understand the magnitude of this verse??? Do we understand that He surrendered more than we could ever give back?  As He watches our world fall apart do we understand His heartfelt pain??… As I sat in front of my canvas to try to convey His emotion I could only hear in my soul… Don’t be disheartened… “They did not believe me either”

And then this word appeared 

Ahava (אהבה)Why a Hebrew word? I ask myself that same question 🤔 so I then looked it up ❤️ (take a moment and look it up.. 😀)

“Let everyone give all their praise and thanks to the Lord! Here’s why—he’s better than anyone could ever imagine. Yes, he’s always loving and kind, and his faithful love never ends.”

Psalms 107:1 TPT

Wishing you a day filled with inquisitive wonder… I challenge you to discover just one fact about Jesus that you did not know yesterday and if you are bold enough to share it please share it in the comments below… if you are not feeling bold just share a heart ❤️ that by reading this it taught you something new… be safe, be blessed be loved… 

 1 John 4:16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love, and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him. 17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

Photography, Art & Written by Lori Garner

Sinners Prayer 

Inspiring Music by (youtube)

Bible collaboration - Joann Turnbull

Victory - Believe In Love (Official Audio)

(King of Kings)

Turn your eyes upon Jesus and the things of this world will grow strangely dim Inspired by John 8:12 

The meaning of Gaze is to look steadily and intently at something, especially at that which excites admiration, curiosity, or interest: 

As we gazed at His beautiful words we found eighteen verses that contain the word we were so diligently searching for… 

Do we gaze with our soulful eyes? Or have we become so human that our souls have lost their way ??? 

How can we look for something to fill the void in our lives… and still not see… How do you fall in love with someone you can not gaze upon … How does our heart yearn to be in His presence?  How does our soul thirst just to hear His beautiful whispers of love… 

What is this magnetic pull He has on the amazing souls that He so loving created… Do we yearn to gaze into His eyes… Will we be lost in the moment? Will our words fail, as we fall deeper into His gaze? 

As we continue on this journey of life… We can only imagine… 

What will that day bring? Will I be able to contain my love for Him, or will my excitement seem like that of a child? Or will my soul be so overwhelmed by His beauty that I am not able to move? Will I be mesmerized by His inviting smile… 

And if He opens His arms will I melt upon the floor beneath my feet… Or Will I willingly jump into His embrace ?? 

There is no greater love… that will engulf all of our senses… 

It’s Him, It is always Him.

For now, we can only close our eyes and dream of being drawn into His Gaze… 

If we've responded to His gaze by recognizing His love and by loving Him back, then He has given us the mission of setting the world ablaze with His love.

To fall in love with God is the greatest romance; to seek him the greatest adventure; to find him, the greatest human achievement.

St. Augustine of Hippo

Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. Proverbs 4:25-26

“And fix our eyes on Jesus, faith’s pioneer and perfecter. He endured the cross, ignoring the shame, for the sake of the joy that was laid out in front of him, and sat down at the right side of God’s throne.”

Hebrews 12:2 CEB

Photography, Art & Written by Lori Garner

Sinners Prayer 

Inspiring Music by (youtube)

Bible collaboration - Joann Turnbull 

Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars.

Meaning of long-suffering having or showing patience in spite of troubles, especially those caused by other people.

This word is not a word that I wanted to research or even feel… 

When we look at Galatians chapter 5 verses 22:23, we will find the  “Fruit of the Spirit” listed as follows: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control;. 

Life has its beauty but how do we learn to appreciate the beauty? I believe we must have opposite feelings, so we have a base of comparison… 

For instance, how could we recognize Joy without knowing sadness?  Peace without conflict?  Patience’s without impatience? kindness without unkindness ??  And the list goes on??? 

Strangely enough, when I looked up the opposite of long-suffering, I found the word blessed!! 

But how can we find the blessing in Long Suffering?  If I transpose the words they would read Suffering long!!! 

No one in their right mind would want to own these words...  But for this exercise, I will put my mind on hold and look at this word with my heart and soul... 

How could that be a blessing?   

Long-suffering is a heart-crushing feeling that leaves scars... It has no defined timeline.

But what life has taught me is Long-suffering is a great teacher!!! Those scars serve a beautiful purpose.

We live in a beautiful but challenging time. So many things to experience in one’s lifetime.

The pain and suffering are real but always remember you are not alone...  He stands by our side through all our trials. He wipes every tear... And His beautiful peace will engulf your soul and joy will come in the morning... 

It's Him... He is our joy, our love our peace... 

However, do we even think of His suffering on the cross? Do we think of His daily suffering? 

When many souls do not even acknowledge Him. (sad)

Do we not love Him as much as He loves us?? I believe It wounds His soul and breaks His beautiful heart... 

How deep? How long?  Will we let His Long-Suffering go on??

He had to ask Peter 3 times in order to get the true answer “ Do you love me? “ 

If He asks you today!  Do you love me? How would you answer??

Would you hesitate or would your answer roll off your tongue like sweet honey... 

Yes!! I love you. You know I love you.  

I feel it is in each one’s power to lighten His long-suffering one heart at a time... 

It's truly about Him! It's about loving Him with all our heart, soul, and mind... 

“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. “This is the first and great commandment” 

This is the greatest blessing a person could ever achieve!!

After you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you” (1 Peter 5:10). 

Written and Art by Lori Garner (Image Enhanced by AI)  

Sinners Prayer 

Bible collaboration - Joann Turnbull

Inspiring Music by (youtube)

Oh How I Love You Lyric Video 

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